Projections · 2025–2035

Which jobs are projected to grow, and which to shrink

Every ten years of projections BLS publishes, for 831 occupations. Openings count both new positions and the ones left behind by people who retire or move on — which is why a shrinking occupation can still be hiring.

176.2M

jobs projected for 2035

From 170.3 million in 2025

+3.5%

growth across all occupations

5,917,600 more jobs over the decade

17.5M

openings a year, on average

New positions plus replacements for people leaving

Fastest growing Fastest declining Most openings Largest today Highest paid

Filter by field and education(88 occupations)

Fastest growing occupations, 2025 to 2035
Occupation	Jobs 2025	Change	Openings/yr	Median pay
Semiconductor processing techniciansProduction	31,200	+8.2%	3,400	$51,430
Food batchmakersProduction	176,800	+6.5%	23,100	$42,290
Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tendersProduction	7,700	+5.9%	800	$41,330
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plasticProduction	43,000	+5.8%	5,100	$46,170
Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishersProduction	246,300	+5.0%	25,900	$45,850
Fiberglass laminators and fabricatorsProduction	16,300	+4.6%	1,700	$46,880
Packaging and filling machine operators and tendersProduction	377,700	+4.1%	41,400	$43,220
Chemical equipment operators and tendersProduction	140,800	+3.6%	13,900	$58,040
Medical appliance techniciansProduction	11,300	+3.5%	1,300	$48,030
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tendersProduction	16,200	+3.4%	1,700	$43,530
Stationary engineers and boiler operatorsProduction	31,200	+3.1%	3,200	$78,620
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tendersProduction	14,500	+2.6%	1,800	$48,040
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	164,800	+2.5%	15,300	$48,250
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighersProduction	602,000	+2.5%	66,700	$48,570
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazersProduction	437,700	+2.4%	40,300	$53,750
Plant and system operators, all otherProduction	14,300	+2.3%	1,200	$62,470
Ophthalmic laboratory techniciansProduction	18,600	+2.2%	2,200	$39,460
First-line supervisors of production and operating workersProduction	679,900	+1.8%	61,000	$74,450
Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	58,300	+1.5%	5,200	$45,760
Adhesive bonding machine operators and tendersProduction	12,100	+1.3%	1,300	$46,460
Power distributors and dispatchersProduction	8,600	+1.2%	700	$106,730
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricatorsProduction	1,403,500	+1.1%	138,700	$44,650
MachinistsProduction	288,300	+1.0%	26,100	$58,750
Production workers, all otherProduction	275,700	+0.8%	27,300	$40,110
Tire buildersProduction	20,300	+0.8%	1,900	$57,390
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticProduction	60,900	+0.7%	5,400	$47,720
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticProduction	127,100	+0.6%	11,600	$47,180
Food cooking machine operators and tendersProduction	31,200	-0.3%	3,700	$41,590
Etchers and engraversProduction	8,900	-0.7%	800	$43,310
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	45,900	-0.9%	5,400	$46,570
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, woodProduction	41,200	-1.0%	4,500	$42,770
Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	26,600	-1.7%	2,300	$48,540
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugersProduction	32,900	-1.9%	2,700	$96,710
Patternmakers, woodProduction	600	-2.0%	100	$49,630
UpholsterersProduction	22,700	-2.3%	1,700	$46,340
Woodworkers, all otherProduction	15,400	-2.3%	1,700	$44,530
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawingProduction	60,900	-2.5%	5,300	$43,380
Cabinetmakers and bench carpentersProduction	81,800	-2.9%	6,900	$46,680
Metal-refining furnace operators and tendersProduction	16,800	-2.9%	1,400	$54,430
Jewelers and precious stone and metal workersProduction	32,800	-3.2%	3,700	$52,540
Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibersProduction	13,500	-3.3%	1,100	$46,350
Model makers, woodProduction	700	-3.3%	100	$56,550
Layout workers, metal and plasticProduction	6,200	-3.4%	500	$63,870
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plasticProduction	150,000	-3.4%	13,800	$44,350
Furniture finishersProduction	15,900	-3.5%	1,500	$44,540
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	96,100	-3.6%	9,000	$50,270
Coil winders, tapers, and finishersProduction	12,900	-4.0%	1,200	$48,220
Pourers and casters, metalProduction	4,600	-5.0%	400	$51,810
Power plant operatorsProduction	29,800	-5.1%	2,300	$102,040
Chemical plant and system operatorsProduction	16,700	-5.2%	1,300	$78,120
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblersProduction	34,400	-5.6%	3,100	$65,380
Photographic process workers and processing machine operatorsProduction	5,300	-5.6%	600	$40,610
Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	61,400	-5.7%	5,200	$51,610
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorsProduction	131,000	-5.7%	10,000	$60,020
Dental laboratory techniciansProduction	34,400	-5.9%	3,600	$49,610
Nuclear power reactor operatorsProduction	5,200	-5.9%	400	$122,890
Gas plant operatorsProduction	18,200	-6.0%	1,400	$87,820
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tendersProduction	97,300	-6.1%	7,900	$48,990
Timing device assemblers and adjustersProduction	200	-6.1%	0	$62,620
Structural metal fabricators and fittersProduction	52,300	-6.2%	4,800	$51,330

Showing the top 60 of 88. Narrow it with the filters above.